Cricket Plans chapters 7-10

Map work on China and some hot touristy spots

Mapping Italy and visiting some hot spots

We used Time for Kids homework helper as a wonderful geography reference. I found it using our Usborne Encyclopedia of World Geography internet links. You can go anywhere in the world and hit the highlights of every country. VERY cool website.

We are in the final two weeks of our study of The Cricket in Times Square. I know we always look forward to a new book toward the end of a study. This week E9 will:

• Monday- take a brief look at the Chinese language and identify a few characters, vocabulary matching, read chapter 7
• Tuesday- observe US Currency and identify markings, design his own currency
• Wednesday- discussion question, more vocabulary, Coney Island, read chapter 8
• Thursday- discussion question, read chapter 9, facts about rice, make fried rice, and work on Mark Twain book report/oral report
• Friday- Ivory, chapter 10, types of music, Vaudeville (the kids will make their own and we'll use that trusty video camera to record the fun and share it- hopefully)

E9 also does the Bible study supplement that goes with Beyond FIAR. He reads the passage for the chapter and follows up with the Bible verses. Then he has to choose the theme the author was going for from the book and choose one verse to copy into his journal- in cursive. That is the extent of his practice in cursive though I do occasionally remember to require it from him at other times. As a person who never liked it, I hardly use cursive myself. Not to worry though, he seems to be picking it up.

Facts about US Currency and E9's own paper 31 dollar bill with Laura Ingalls Wilder's face on it. For those interested, the new release Presidential Dollar coin is going to be released on Valentine's Day. It will be the James Monroe coin.

When we were reviewing for his dad what has to be on a coin by federal law, he gave a nice list. When I prompted him for the last one he replied, "Someone's head!" No, that wasn't the right answer...date minted, liberty (on the new dollar coin Lady Liberty counts), e pluribus unim, and In God We Trust. Check the side of the coin if you can't find them all!

The US Mint has a terrific website for kids. Check it out for all kinds of facts and plenty of lessons and color sheets. There are whole units on the 50 states coins and the Presidential dollar coins.

E9 agrees to make the rice, but he won't eat it!

R7 is a rice lover and can't wait to lend a helping hand in the process...

The finished product. Not bad for a first try at home made fried rice. Next time we'll need two batches...one with onions and one WITHOUT (In case you haven't heard, I'm violently allergic to onions and I got tired of picking very carefully each one out of my rice!)